Cigarette or like dispensing case



Dec. 21, 1948. w. D. LEATHERMAN 2,456,963

CIGARETTE OR LIKE DISPENSING CASE Filed May 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTOR. 'Ward D. Leoiherman Dec. 21, 1948. w. D. LEATHERMAN CIGARETTE OR LIKE DISPENSING CASE Filed May 15, 1946 2 Sheath-Sheet 2 MM mm w M m L W 9 2 W 5 m u "a O .3 v 1 3 u m Atlarney Patented Dec. 21, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CIGARETTE, OR LIKE DISPENSING. CASE Ward D.. Leatherman, Akron, Ohio Application May'lfi, 1946, Serial N0. 669,966

(CL, 7.0r- 2'l32);

3 Claims, 1-.

This; invention relates to a. cigarette or like dispensing case.

It. is. well known that habitual cigarette smokers, for example, are prone to remove a cigarette package; orcase fromthe person, and to; remove a cigarette therefrom and light it, Without being particularly aware of such acts... Smokers of this type, otherwise; having; a will ordesire, usually find it. difiicult. to stop; or minimize the; smoking habit.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved dispenser-for cigarettes or like articles, by means of which a habitual user of such articles is enabled to minimize or break the habit.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved cigarette or like dispensing case, including adjustable means for locking the case against openingthe same withinselectively predetermined periods of time,

These and other objects of the inventionwill -be manifest from the following brief, descriptionaand the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a cigarette case embodying the features of the invention, the same being shown in closed condition.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the cigarette case of Figure 1, the same being shown in open condition.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the closed ciga rette case illustrated in Figure l, but partly broken away and in section to illustrate the mechanism therein in locked position of the case.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but illustrating the mechanism of the case in unlocked position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-section on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral I designates generally a cigarette case comprising a relatively shallow rectangular container part II and a lid or closure I2 hingedly connected thereto, as indicated at I3 of Figure 2. The container I I is provided with a partition I4 to divide the same into a relatively large receptacle I for containing a plurality of cigarettes I6, and a relatively small compartment I! for receiving therein, in closed condition of the case, a clockwork shell I8 which is carried by the lid I 2.

Within the shell l8 may be a clockwork or timing mechanism of known type adapted to be set to rotate a shaft 2| on which is secured cam disc 22. The clockwork may be of simple construction including a spring mechanism (not shown}, which is predeterminately wound to a point at which a. slight further winding. will. set the same: to rotate. the cam for given periods of time. As best shown in Figures 1, 3- and. 4.. the disc 23 is provided with indicia representing; five minute periods. up to sixty minutes, the zero or unlocking position of the case being. indicated by a, fixed index mark 24 (see Figure 4)..

The cam 22 is provided with asuitably shaped recess 25 for receiving; a, pin 26. on; the; free. end ofa. lever 21', which is pivoted at 28zto, a relatively fixed part of the. clockwork 2-0; An oppositely extending portion 29. of the lever 21; has pivoted at the end thereof a rod 30-, which extends laterally. inwardly: to project. through the, inner edge wall; I8a, of shell I8, adjacent. the front of the case; Illin closed, position thereof. The pin- 2t; isadapted to be yieldingly urged into the recess 25.. as. by'means of a spring 3l-= extending between the inside-of wall I 8a.and acollar-32 fixed on. the rod; 30. While the case It is in closed condition, the indexing disc 23 may be rotated in counterclockwise direction against the spring action of the clock work 20, to urge the pin 26 outwardly as shown in Figure 3, thereby urging the lever extension 29 to move rod 30 to the left, as viewed in Figure 3, to receive a projecting end portion 30a of the rod in an aperture 33 provided in a fixed catch 34 on the partition I4 (see Figure 3).

In the operation or use of the device the user, having first filled the compartment I5 with cigarettes, closes the lid I2, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5. He then turns the indexing disc 23 in counterclockwise direction (Figures 3 and 4) to set the same with respect to the fixed index mark 24 on the lid, at a point indicating a period of time desired to elapse before a cigarette may be removed from the case. As an example, in Figure 3 the index 23 has been moved to set the mechanism to operate the latching mechanism to unlock the case in fifteen minutes, before expiration of which time cigarettes may not be removed from the case. That is, upon rotation of disc 23 from zero setting as described, the pin 26 is engaged with an outermost edge of the cam disc 22 to urge lever 21 outwardly of the cam, thereby to move the rod 30 in the opposite direction against yielding action of spring 3|, and to urge the end 30a of the rod into the aperture of the catch 34. Thus the case I0 will be locked in closed condition as long as the pin 26 is engaged with the outer surface of the cam, or until the pin drops back into cam recess 25.

When the pin. 26 moves back into the recess 25, after the fifteen minute period, the indexing disc will have turned in clockwise direction until the zero mark is opposite the index mark 24, at which time the user is free to open the case for removal of a cigarette I6 from the compartment I5 (see Figure 2). The indexing disc may be set for shorter or longer periods of time, but in any instance the user upon absent-mindedly or subconsciously removing the case [0 from his person, and attempting to open it during one of the locked periods, will find that the case cannot be opened and in the same manner return it to his person.

It it understood that the clockwork and indexing means may be modified to operate the looking mechanism for periods longer than sixty minutes.

Other modifications of the invention may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette or light dispenser, comprising relatively shiftable members forming a container adapted to be opened and closed, one of said members having a compartment for containing cigarettes or like articles, a clockwork mounted in one of said members, a cam rotatable by said clockwork, a pivoted lever having a cam-engaging portion on the free end thereof, spring means for yieldingly urging said lever into operative engagement of said portion thereof with said cam, said cam having a deviation operable in a predetermined position of rotation of the cam to pivot said lever against the action of said spring means and the deviation including a stop shoulder engageable by said cam-engaging portion to stop rotation of the oam, a locking device including an element shiftably mounted in said one member and a catch on the other member engageable by the element to lock the members in closed position of said container,

said element having a connection to said lever to be urged out of locking engagement with said catch in said predetermined position of rotation of the cam, and indexing means for selectively setting said cam in a position of rotation thereof with said deviation away from said cam-engaging portion of the lever, whereby the cam is rotated for a given period of time during which said locking device is locked and at the end of which period engagement of said cam-engaging portion with said deviation pivots said lever to unlock the locking device and permit opening the container for removal of articles therefrom.

2. A dispenser as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cam is disc-like with a cam-surface around the edge portions thereof engageable by said cam-engaging portion of the lever in the locked position of the locking device, and said deviation being a recess in said edge portions within which said cam-engaging portion is yieldingly urged by said spring means to unlock the locking device.

3. A dispenser as set forth in claim 2, wherein said recess has a side sloping inwardly to permit said cam-engaging portion to ride out of said recess upon winding the clock-mechanism to a said selected position of the cam through said indexing means, said sloping side of the recess terminating in an abrupt side thereof constituting said stop shoulder.

WARD D. LEATHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 580.736 Smith Apr. 13, 1897 2,294,505 Lindblad Sept. 1, 1942 

